Chicago loses in bid to host 2016 Olympics

[ShockTalk]

Assuming politics plays a major roll in getting the Olympics, I'm putting this here.

"Chicago was eliminated in the first ballot of voting for the 2016 Olympics on Friday, a stunning defeat for the city that was expected to be one of the two finalists.

The U.S., Obama told Olympic leaders, "is ready and eager to assume that sacred trust" of hosting the Games.

The president and his wife, fellow Chicagoan Michelle Obama, put their capital behind an enormous campaign to win the Olympics bid. Never before had a U.S. president made such an in-person appeal.

"I urge you to choose Chicago," Obama told members of the International Olympic Committee.

"And if you do — if we walk this path together — then I promise you this: The city of Chicago and the United States of America will make the world proud," the president said."

Make what you will of our President's new approach to dealing with the rest of the world and the influence it has. Had the previous administration tried and failed on this bid, I know what we'd hear (not that I'd totally disagree). Now what's the reason?

[SubGod22]

The reason? Who wants to go to Chicago? I believe I have also seen where around half of the Chicago taxpayers wanted nothing to do with the Olympics

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Chicago had long been seen as a front-runner and got the highest possible level of support -- from Obama himself. But he also only spent a few hours in the Danish capital where the vote was held and left before the result was announced. Former IOC member Kai Holm said that the brevity of his appearance may have counted against him.

The short stopover was "too business-like," Holm said. "It can be that some IOC members see it as a lack of respect."

[Maggie]

Chicago had long been seen as a front-runner and got the highest possible level of support -- from Obama himself. But he also only spent a few hours in the Danish capital where the vote was held and left before the result was announced. Former IOC member Kai Holm said that the brevity of his appearance may have counted against him.

The short stopover was "too business-like," Holm said. "It can be that some IOC members see it as a lack of respect."

Please. These guys are such tools.

I find myself in the strange position of feeling a little bit offended on behalf of President Obama and the Chicago bid. I would have liked Chicago to get the bid.

I really didn’t understand why the President made this trip unless it was a foregone conclusion that Chicago was to be awarded the bid – this is not exactly demonstrative of the President diplomatic IQ – the big guys take the stage after the deal is done, hint, hint – Mr. President. Notwithstanding, getting bounced in the first round by the IOC? Are you @#$%&*$% kidding me?

This may sound a little arrogant but – Memo to the IOC: The President of the United States is a pretty busy guy; we like to think of him as the leader of the free world. He took a day and flew out to chat with you personally. We taxpayers just spent at least a million flying him over and doing prep work and coming back. I don't care if you people decided after his pitch he was an arrogant blowhard or whatever; he's our arrogant blowhard and deserves a little respect.

:rant:

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Chicago had long been seen as a front-runner and got the highest possible level of support -- from Obama himself. But he also only spent a few hours in the Danish capital where the vote was held and left before the result was announced. Former IOC member Kai Holm said that the brevity of his appearance may have counted against him.

The short stopover was "too business-like," Holm said. "It can be that some IOC members see it as a lack of respect."

Please. These guys are such tools.

I find myself in the strange position of feeling a little bit offended on behalf of President Obama and the Chicago bid. I would have liked Chicago to get the bid.

I really didn’t understand why the President made this trip unless it was a foregone conclusion that Chicago was to be awarded the bid – this is not exactly demonstrative of the President diplomatic IQ – the big guys take the stage after the deal is done, hint, hint – Mr. President. Notwithstanding, getting bounced in the first round by the IOC? Are you @#$%&*$% kidding me?

This may sound a little arrogant but – Memo to the IOC: The President of the United States is a pretty busy guy; we like to think of him as the leader of the free world. He took a day and flew out to chat with you personally. We taxpayers just spent at least a million flying him over and doing prep work and coming back. I don't care if you people decided after his pitch he was an arrogant blowhard or whatever; he's our arrogant blowhard and deserves a little respect.

:rant:

To be clear, I wasn't putting down the President. I was showing that even a personal appearance couldn't impact this committee. One that is supposedly not corrupt, but took into account a plea from former IOC head to give his country a chance.

Perhaps he will realize that it may not be possible to change everyone's opinion of the US even if we change ourselves.

[ShockBand]

2016 in Rio De Janeiro, first games in South America. I have a hunch that might have been a big factor in Rio getting the bid. I agree if the IOC was ticked that the POTUS bolted after his speech, then they JUST DON'T GET IT, and are raising their self-importance to the level of self-flatulence. Or sumpin' like that.

[SubGod22]

Hasn't Rio pretty much been seen as the favorite from the beginning? That choice should surprise nobody.

[AG1219]

Wow, Brazil gets the 2014 World Cup and now the 2016 Olympics. Amazing! I really thought the World Cup being there in 2014 would somewhat hurt their chances. Should be a wild few years in Brazil

[Maggie]

Hasn't Rio pretty much been seen as the favorite from the beginning? That choice should surprise nobody.

I think most people thought it was between Chicago and Rio – with Chicago, possibly, with a bit of an edge. That is the reason I thought the President decided to make a personal appearance after initially stating he didn’t have the time to go.

Downtown Shocker Brown – my little rant as not directed at you, so please don’t take it that way. Call it a politics stops at the waters edge moment.

As an aside, the IOC is as pure as the wind driven snow. :roll: I doubt the rejection itself had anything to do with the world's opinion of the United States (although if this happened to Bush, people would argue that point) – we have hosted the games quite a bit, mostly because we do a good job. I am more annoyed at getting rejected in the first round after the President made his pitch in person, than anything else.

[ShockBand]

Wow, Brazil gets the 2014 World Cup and now the 2016 Olympics. Amazing! I really thought the World Cup being there in 2014 would somewhat hurt their chances. Should be a wild few years in Brazil

Brazil is already wild, especially during Carnival. Makes Mardi Gras in New Orleans look like amateur night. What I wonder is if they will try and tone DOWN any of the fun of Carnival.

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Wow, Brazil gets the 2014 World Cup and now the 2016 Olympics. Amazing! I really thought the World Cup being there in 2014 would somewhat hurt their chances. Should be a wild few years in Brazil

Takes me back to 94 and 96 when we hosted the Cup then the Olympics.

[shockall]

Prior to retirement a few years ago, my travels included arrivals & safe departures from 51 different countries in the world, and many repeat trips therein. I still have many contacts which I converse with via the phone & internet.

Believe me when I say that there are a lot of people in these countries that flat-out do not like the USA, and recently have been laughing at our arrogance as our economy struggles & falters.

Obama is not the favorite son in many of these countries as the USA media makes him to be. I do not believe that Chicago had as much support as to make it one of the top two qualifiers, and I'm not surprised that the Chicago finished fourth in the Olympic marathon. If the USA had won the bid, there would have been several countries boycotting the Olympics in 2016.

Another point that no one has mentioned is the fact that North America is hosting an Olympics very soon (Vancouver), making another NA selection in 2016 seem like a longshot.

[ISASO]

I am bewildered, as I'm sure many are, by the IOC's rejection of "The One", as Oprah anointed him.

Didn't they get the memo? Don't they realize that they must cow to "The One", "The Great Uniter" or risk being investigated, harrassed and/or labeled as a racist?

What is with this world? We were promised a new world order on Jan. 20. Where is our world in which the Iranian, Libyan, Syrian, North Korean, Venezualen and Russian leaders are so moved by the Power of "The One" that they cannot help themselves but to immediately comply with his desires?

Where is our world in which Osama Bin Laden is completely disarmed by the siren call of "The One" such that he abandons his lifetime jihad?

What's wrong with our enemies around the world? Why aren't they joining in our New World Order Kum-bah-ya?

"The One" has been made manifest unto us. We spent valuable (non-existent) taxpayer money to bestow him upon the IOC. How dare they turn their backs to Him!

[1979Shocker]

Did republicans just not want the U.S. to host the 2016 olympics or was it because anything Obama is for they are against?

Americans for Prosperity conference attendees applaud after U.S. loses olympic bid.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1460906593?bctid=43158474001

[RoyalShock]

Just a wild guess here, but seeing as how the Olympics has to be paid for somehow (cough, taxes, cough), and AFP is generally an anti-tax group, it makes perfect sense and has nothing to do with Obama.